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RU Outdoors, our on-campus outdoor adventure program, is coming up on its 20 year anniversary this fall, a milestone which brings to mind all that the group has accomplished in their nearly two decades of service to the RU community. The end of each spring semester brings warm weather and a much-needed three month break from our studies but also the bittersweet task of saying farewell to some of the dedicated staff members who have spent their mornings, nights, weekends and sometimes holidays leading trips and expeditions for the university community. I interviewed three of RU Outdoors senior staff soon to be leaving the university and going out into the world.
Brian Childress, staff trainer for RU Outdoors and member since Spring of 2003, says that RU Outdoors has affected him in that, "It really helped me to develop my professionalism both with technical skills and group leadership especially while working with groups of my peers. It's also given me the opportunity to travel, lead trips and do a lot of outdoor-related things that I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise." RU Outdoors not only provides a service for the RU community but allows Recreation, Parks and Tourism majors like Childress and many other staff members to gain experience in their fields. Nate Clark, trip leader and staff member since spring of '03, said "I've learned a lot about myself and gained insight into what kind of leader I would like to be. I've also learned the importance of experience in the outdoors and discovered personally what the outdoors mean to me."
RU Outdoors isn't only a group of volunteers leading outdoor trips; it's a group of people who share a passion for outdoor adventure and volunteer their time to share that passion with others. Clark went on to say that RU Outdoors has, "provided the community with a way to enjoy the outdoors and have opportunities to do things some people would otherwise be unable to do." The program provides exciting trips to RU and the local community including caving, backpacking rock climbing, whitewater rafting, horseback riding and mountain biking, but, as the saying goes, often the adventure is in the journey, not the destination. Angie Roberts, rental office manager, trip leader and staff member since Fall of '03, confessed that her favorite memories about the program were, "the countless hours spent in 15-passenger vans and how much you really learn about you fellow staff members on cross-country drives." Angie was referring to the traditional expedition trip RU Outdoors staff members take during Spring Break week. This past spring break, Angie, Nate and other staff drove nearly 40 hours to Utah, stopping only for gas and a few photo opportunities. Roberts believes that RU Outdoor not only honed her outdoor skills but helped with interpersonal skills as well. "It has helped to expand my patience and acceptance of other point of view, has greatly broadened my horizons of the outdoor world and given me insight into my future career," she said.
Through their dedication and countless hours of service these outdoor connoisseurs have not only built confidence, leadership skills and impressive résumés but a great number of friends in the field. All three staff members listed their friends on staff as the number one thing they'll miss about the program, with Nate Clark noting that the free rental of gear will also dearly be missed. Though it's sad to see these talented trip leaders go, with nearly 20 years worth of staff alumni currently working in the recreation field, it's safe to say that wherever these outdoor nuts may end up, they're likely to find a friendly face there to greet them.
Grant brandishes his broadsword in public.
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